SAGE Story: Chrissie, 64

Pittsburgh, PA

Chrissie (64) worked for nearly 35 for a global accounting firm. It was only in the final 6 years at her job that she found a more welcoming environment after workplace policies and support systems were improved. This story was collected from a program from the Western Pennsylvania SAGE at PERSAD CENTER.

SAGE Story: Dave, 69

Pittsburgh, PA

Dave had a career in education where he feared that being outed could jeopardize his job. The acceptance and support of friends, family and his church gave him comfort. This video is from our affiliate, SAGE Western Pennsylvania at the Persad Center.

Stephen tells his story about joining the Navy and having to hide his sexuality. He was able to come out in San Diego, and shares how the world has changed since Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

SAGE Story: Earl, 64

Wilmington, NC

Earl describes his community activism as a "discrimination buster", which began as a response to bullying during his childhood, but has since become a personal calling that has been rewarding to him. This video is from our SAGE Wilmington affiliate.

Dick (70) shares the lasting emotional impact of family discrimination at a sensitive time. This video is from our affiliate, SAGE Western Pennsylvania at the Persad Center.

SAGE Story: J, 60

Raleigh, North Carolina

J, a gender con-conforming person, talks about being part of a church panel devoted to discussing faith, and how it might relate to the transgender experience. Within a short period of time J stirs up emotions from those attending, bordering on the threatening, while trying to explain their gender identity. This video was created by our SAGE Raleigh affiliate.

SAGE Story: Diane, 66

Holly Springs, North Carolina

Diane relates what it means to be legally married and how it felt to move from a state that recognized same gender marriage to one that didn't at the time. Over the last 6 months that situation has changed. This video was created by our SAGE Raleigh affiliate.

SAGE Story: John, 52

Wilmington, NC

John remembers the social reinforcement of invisibility that marked his coming out experience in the South, contrasted with the commitment to activism that is the norm for his current life on the Wilmington Cape Fear Coast. This video is from our SAGE Wilmington affiliate.

SAGE Story: Barb (67) and Ann (78)

Durham, North Carolina

Barb and Ann discuss how they became activists in the quest for same gender marriage and how it changed their lives, including appearing in national and international news media. This video was created by our SAGE Raleigh affiliate.

Vince describes his upbringing in a very conservative family and how hiding has sexuality has impacted his entire life. This video was created by our SAGE Raleigh affiliate.

SAGE Story: John, 69

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

John talks about his lifelong attempt to suppress his sexuality, and his search for a religious community that would not reject him once he found the strength to come out of the closet. This video was created by our SAGE Raleigh affiliate.

James discusses his relationship with the Jewish religion and how he was received when he came out to the rabbi of an orthodox congregation. This video was created by our SAGE Raleigh affiliate.

SAGE Story: Kenny, 75

Raleigh, NC

Due to the fact Kenny did not want to appear on camera, this story is a narration with a photograph. Kenny relates how he was belittled by a superior at work because he was gay, and what he perceives to be the cause. This video was created by our SAGE Raleigh affiliate,

SAGE Story: John, 79

Raleigh, NC

Due to the fact that John did not want to be on video, this piece features a photograph of John and a narration. He relates his journey in the military as a closeted gay man, and how much things have changed, especially after the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell.” This piece was created by our SAGE Raleigh affiliate.

SAGE Story: Jeanne, 53

Wilmington, NC

Jeanne talks about how different it is living in North Carolina compared to her former home in Connecticut. “I am not anywhere near as out as I used to be.” This video is from our SAGE Wilmington affiliate.

SAGE Story: Ann (60) and Carol (71)

Wilmington, NC

Six years ago Ann and Carol celebrated their 20th anniversary by getting married at Niagara Falls. Despite being nervous about going to the courthouse they found that Canadians were very welcome. Ann was moved by the “opportunity” to be married and she wanted to be able to tell her grandkids that they took advantage of that forward moving opportunity. “We didn’t waste any time getting that done!” Thinking that marriage equality would not arrive in their lifetimes, Ann and Carol were surprised to see marriage quality arrive in North Carolina. This video is from our SAGE Wilmington affiliate.

SAGE Story: Alana, 64

Wilmington, NC

Alana shares the rewards and challenges of leaving the San Francisco Bay area, where she and her partner Sande were among the pioneers of LGBT human rights advocacy in organizations like the Lyon Martin Women's Clinic, as they embrace the needs and resources of the Wilmington Cape Fear Coast. This video is from our SAGE Wilmington affiliate.

SAGE Story: Bob, 79

Wilmington, NC

Bob describes how, “after living quietly” he and others began to organize and advocate in response to local churches rejected members of the LGBT community. This video is from our SAGE Wilmington affiliate.

SAGE Story: Ed (54) and Jeff (60)

Wilmington, NC

Ed and Jeff met 23 year ago at a dance party. Both HIV+, they moved from San Francisco to Wilmingtonto retire close to family and for the beaches. After learning that a local church planned to ban LGBT people and people with LGBT family members, they sprang into action—picketing the church and becoming involved in the activist community. This video is from our SAGE Wilmington affiliate.

Philadelphia, PA

Elizabeth shares a story about coming into her authentic self in a house full of lesbians. This video is from our affiliate, SAGE Philadelphia.

SAGE Story: Michael, 71

Philadelphia, PA

Michael shares his story of discovering the writings of Issan Dorsey, becoming a Buddhist priest, and being a chaplain in the Philadelphia Federal Detention Center. This video is from our affiliate, SAGE Philadelphia.

SAGE Story: Jeff, 65

Pittsburgh, PA

Jeff (65) shares his struggle with the conflict between his homosexuality and church teachings, finding happiness later in life with his husband. This video is from our affiliate, SAGE Western Pennsylvania at the Persad Center.

Don (67) shares his journey of recreating his life and how an AIDS diagnosis changed his future. This video is from our affiliate, SAGE Western Pennsylvania at the Persad Center.

SAGE Story: Mary Dean, 78

Pittsburgh, PA

Mary Dean (78) explains how not dealing with her lesbian identity contributed to a problem with alcohol, and how therapy and recovery turned her life around. This video is from our affiliate, SAGE Western Pennsylvania at the Persad Center.

SAGE Story: Dee Jay, 75

Pittsburgh, PA

Dee Jay shares the traumas of bullying and rejection during his school days and his path to coming out and self-acceptance. This video is from our affiliate, SAGE Western Pennsylvania at the Persad Center.

SAGE Story: Chrissie (64) and Charlotte (62)

Pittsburgh, PA

Chrissie (64) and Charlotte (62) reflect on 40 years together and the challenges and efforts of seeking acceptance from family and friends. This video is from our affiliate, SAGE Western Pennsylvania at the Persad Center.

Greg shares his story of coming out and losing his family, community and employment. Despite these setbacks, he found community in Wilmington, North Carolina and is building his own circle of family.

SAGE Story: John

SAGE Wilmington of the Cape Fear Coast, North Carolina

John talks about his children and how they are very important to him. Both his daughter and son accepted his coming out as a gay man when he was 40 (John was 64 at the time of filming in December of 2013) and are still very supportive.

Sonja tells us how she developed her first relationship with a woman and how after she shared her relationship status, feared for her life and that of her partner.

SAGE Story: Mona

Charlotte, North Carolina

Mona knew at a very young age that she liked girls and after a teacher admonished her, she realized that it was “wrong” and hid her attraction. She eventually married a man, which she later divorced, and eventually managed to come out slowly, despite her fear of rejection.

SAGE Story: Dawn

Charlotte, North Carolina

Dawn tells of how she knew she didn't belong in her male body as a child and how she surpressed that by getting married twice and having children. Eventually, she lost everything and realized that she needed to embrace herself and was able to finally find acceptance and peace.

Charlotte, North Carolina

Barry shares how he felt different growing up in the South because of his feelings for men and how he had to hide his sexuality.

SAGE Story: CJ

Charlotte, North Carolina

CJ tells us how as the only living female in her family, she was expected to get married and have babies. She describes how she did get married, but it didn't work out and after a divorce, she was able to eventually come out.

Les G. (63) shares how the ending of a relationship led him to feel isolated and alone until he decided to change his life and continue to go out and meet people.

SAGE Story: Harry

SAGE Raleigh, North Carolina

Harry tells us when he realized he was gay in college and the anxiety and self-loathing it caused him. After a visit to the campus psychiatrist, he buried his feelings and ended up married with a family. 50 years later, he was finally able to come out and feel more comfortable with his sexuality and found a community who accepted him.

SAGE Story: Lorraine

SAGE Raleigh, North Carolina

Lorraine (51) shares her story about being a bisexual and feeling marginalized in the LGBT community.

SAGE Story: Rachael

SAGE Raleigh, North Carolina

Rachael (73) tells us how she struggled growing up with the desire to dress as a female and eventually decided to make the change to transition. Her story is that of her relationship with her family and how it is strained because of her being transgender.

SAGE Story: Les S.

SAGE Raleigh, North Carolina

Les (54) shares how he is both gay and part of a strong religious community that has helped him feel less isolated in his life.

SAGE Story: Paul

SAGE Raleigh, North Carolina

While secretly dating man in rural county in NC, Paul is confronted with the possibility of being outed, which he believes would ruin his reputation and cause his patients to leave his dental practice. His journey from living in the closet to wanting to be “brave and a role model” involves the church organist, his hairdresser, and a patient with a big question.

SAGE Story: Brad

SAGE Raleigh, North Carolina

One day in the 1970’s Brad (51) walked across his college campus at mid-day holding hands with the man he loved. Was there name calling? Pointing? Stone throwing? Find out how this incident and the reaction of his mother and college friends to the news that he was gay, gave Brad a kind of armor for his later encounters with homophobia.

SAGE Story: Glen

SAGE Raleigh, North Carolina

Although he had known he was gay since he could remember, it wasn’t until after he married his female best friend and had three children that Glen (56) came out to his colleagues at his medical practice. Right after coming out to his co-worker, Glen finds himself in the office of his boss, whom he has heard use an anti-gay slur, and his boss is asking him, “What’s going on? Why are you so nervous?”

SAGE Story: John

SAGE Raleigh, North Carolina

Grieving and widowed after a 40-year heterosexual marriage, John finds himself not caring if he lived or died. His 26-month journey from suicidal and abusing alcohol to sober and happy to be alive is also a journey of bravery, friendship, community, and acceptance. As John (67) puts it, “the advantage of coming out late in life is that after knowing you for 40 years, people can’t reject you based on one new piece of information.”

SAGE Story: Thom

SAGE Raleigh, North Carolina

Thom (71) learned that his uncle, a well-regarded professor and fellow veteran, was gay when Thom was 60 and his uncle was 80. Thom recalls that his uncle was fascinated by the idea that the day might come when gays could serve openly in the military.

Years later, when his uncle was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Thom arranged for 24-hour care. Thom always disclosed to the caretakers that both he and his uncle were gay and eight years passed without incident, that is until one caregiver decided that Thom’s uncle was “in jeopardy of his salvation.” What Thom learned in the investigation that followed is a harrowing example of how the people who care for our LGBT elders can do great harm and, conversely, how loving and accepting caregivers can save a man’s life.

Joanne Borden from SAGE Long Island talks about how she became an transgender advocate for purely selfish reasons at the 2010 SAGE National Constituent Conference.

SAGE Story: Lynette

SAGE Wilmington of the Cape Fear Coast, North Carolina

Lynette talks about the murder of her friend Talana, a lesbian who wasn't allowed a burial in any of the local churches, and how her death spurred her to come out of the closet and become a local activist.